Dr. Bryan Fonslow, The Scripps Research Institute

Extending Shotgun Proteomics for a Better Understanding of Insulin Signaling

In 2007, the NIH estimated that diabetes afflicts 23.6 million people in the US, 7.8% of the population. Despite the dramatic impact on human health and an expansive amount of research devoted to finding treatments and preventative measures, there are still large gaps in the basic understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind diabetes. Most knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of diabetes is gained from many targeted studies on protein expression, post-translational modification of proteins, and protein-protein interactions using traditional biochemical techniques. Shotgun proteomics has allowed for analysis of numerous gene products and their biochemical characteristics in parallel, creating the potential to advance the understanding of insulin signaling at an accelerated rate. As mass spectrometry-based proteomics continues to mature, sample preparation has become increasingly important for extracting relevant information from large proteomic datasets. Some reoccurring challenges are detection and quantification of low abundance proteins of interest, enrichment of phosphorylated peptides from limited biological samples, and differentiation of protein-protein interactions. We have addressed these limitations through various sample preparation and enrichment methods and will describe how they can contribute to a better understanding of diabetes.

For more information contact Prof. Andrew Lyon (404-894-4090).